The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-16
CHANGING THE GAUGE
o. THE ST. LOUIS, ARKANSAS
AND TEXAS RAILROAD
From a Narrow 10 the Standard
Gauge for 30I Miles-A Great
Undertaking.


and 1t is that which lies between Tex
arksna and Bstesville. The change is
from three feet TO the standard gauge,
four feet eight and one-halt inches
Several hund ed IN an are employed in
doing this work, and the scene is quite
an interesting one. The gauge has al
ready be en- changed, or rather heavy
steel nut down on the outside of the
lighter steel rails between stations
nearly the entire Length of the line,
but the heaviest part OF the work is
where the sniull steel rails have to be
taken MP at switches, spurs snd side
tracks, AID the heavy steel put down.
These heavy steel rails have to
be spiked down in their places
and the smaller rails removed
The company can be Congrstula.
lated on the contamination OF
this important move, and it will also
be q source of pie sure to the patrons
Of one of the plu k est railway COM
psnies in the world to know that they
can now travel and ship freight over
this line without any forebOdin9s Of
trouble. To conBummate this i'm
portant change required the skill OF
the very beet railroad msD, and they
went a. it ia such a business like
manner. o deTs we're issued that all
the email box, stock and fiat cars that
are not to havs trucks charged are t.
be set in the two tracks prepared for
them two miles nor b aud two miles
south Of Tyler. Trains Ii end IA were
abandoned Tuesday, ard all regular
trains south Of lexarkana we're
abandoned Wednesday, The engine
that WIS on No. 4, arriving at Corsi-
cana Tuesday, was run to Tyler Tues
day night. The engine that arrived at
Gatesville with No. 3 Tuesday re-
NAMED there. The engines that 81
rived st the Texas and Pacific crossing
Tuesday with No. 2 returned to Tyler.
The engine that arrived at Waco wi h
No. yesterday morning remained
here. All freight and work
train engines were sent to Tyler
Tuesday. After trains Nos. 3
and 4 met at McGreg1r and
passed each other, the ction men be-
gan changing the gauge both ways
from McGrtgor. No gauge was
changed north OF the south yard linn
its at Waco until Wednesday morn
ing. The foycs at work on the line
were placed as follows: Working
southwark from Big Sandy Tex as Pa.
cific CrossiDp), under direction of
Roadmaster Nj. Thornton; working
northward from Mount Pleasant, I'M
der Roadmaster John Casey; working
southwark from MouRt P easant, I'M
der Roadmaster II. N. Ne Wand; work
ing soathward from Tyler, under
Roadmaster @. W. Marshall; working
Horthward from Ocrsicans, under |
Roadmaster d. L. Collins; working |
southwark from Clrsicana, under |
Roadmatsr ". t. Smettem; working |
from Waco tn Gatesville, under Road
master ]. Bien, until Roadmsster
amettem reached Waco. when he took |
charge Of all the work west of this
city.
An er CINE and cara containing men,
tools and provisions left the following
stations Yesterday morning: Texas
and Pee &c crossing, proceeding south
ward; Tyler, proceeding southwark;
Cors, cana, pyocaf ding nor Inward; Co..
sicans, proceeding s1u.hwar1. All
forces OF men changing gaUg9 and not
on the trains were lnsruc when
they reached the point ahead Of them
where the gauge ia changed, to see
that the irsck i IN shape fcrssfe pass
age of inns, and then work back over
the section hey have changed and exc
anime carefully each rail to bs sure it
was SAFE for pass &c Of rains, AID put
part of their force spiking, doing all
the spiking possible today. All fcr9-
men were init "a ted to sac that each
rail has not less than six spikes on
each side Of the raj !, spiked down close
in new ties before leaving any rail,
and that 81 j iut7, Centers and quar-
tiers are spik to gauge.
The work Of chaogrg the gauge
north OF the eouth yard limits at Waco
was begun at 5 O'Clock yesterday
and the order was to con-
tinue without stoppiTg until all the
main line north of Waco was changed
and foremsp to allow their men extra
time worked. At any mill track where
platform or lumber piles would be in
the way OF passage of cars after gauGe
was changed, foremen were instructed
TO spike the switch securely and re-
port the fact to the master OF trans-
poItation by wire a. soon as possible,
and switch wi remained spiked until
platform or lumber pile is cut of or
removed.
West from Eighth street in this city
She eteel rails were uyed which were
put down in 1882. 1t will answer
every purpote for the time it will be
used, and is somewhat heavier than
steel u ed on narrow gauge railroads.
The weight is foriy-eight pounds to
the fSoi. Tie new rails are said TO be
the heaviest used by any railway COM
psny in Texas, and the weight is sixty
pounds to the foot. The light rails
are used on I'll the SIDE tracks at the
depot In this city.
The last narrow gauge engine that
will run into Waco came in from the
east OF 4 o'clock yesterday morning.
1t is NJ. 81, snd Engineer J. H.
bunker ted he throttle. She was
turned over to Yard Engineer b
CoOney, Who did the moving OF
coaches and other cars to the yard
while the changing Of 1.-THE gauge on
the eide track was in progress. After
this YVES finished the locomotive was
d rear the Brazos compress,
and will main there until removed {
to the shops.
A large number Of men are at work
in the yard in this city transferring
gauge trucks under coaches
which have been used on the narrow
Esuge line There are about fifteen
Of these coaches hsre, AID they are
pomparA.ively new. Not fat or box
ear 10 in sight anywhere today.